Crime & Safety
Man Charged with Driving Drunk Before Car Bursts into Flames
Michael Cox, 29, was arrested early Thursday morning and charged with his second drunken driving offense.
Weymouth, MA - A Weymouth man drove his car through the parking lot of a local restaurant, smashed through tables, and skidded in front of a house before the vehicle burst into flames, police said.
Michael Cox, 29, was arrested early Thursday morning and charged with his second drunken driving offense, operating to endanger, leaving the scene of property damage, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, and a marked lanes violation. He was arraigned in Quincy District Court and is free on $500 cash bail.
At about 2:44 a.m., police in Weymouth responded to a car fire on Park Avenue, according to a police report obtained at Quincy District Court. When officers responded, they observed a vehicle with heavy front and side damage in flames. No one was in the car and the Weymouth Fire Department was able to extinguish the blaze.
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Police were able to identify Cox as the owner of the vehicle through the car's license plate. One witness told police he heard a large crash from inside his home and saw a male in a blue shirt running from the scene. The witness tried to verbally and physically stop the suspect from running away, but he was able to flee towards Ralph Talbot Street.
According to a police investigation, the vehicle was traveling at well above the speed limit of 30 MPH, possibly near the 70 MPH range based on the tire marks. The vehicle allegedly hit several fixed objects, swerved off of Park Street, hit a median, went through the parking lot of Johnny Kono's where the front bumper was discovered and crashed on Park Avenue. Police also found extensive property damage from debris that resulted from the crash.
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Cox was located by police on Ralph Talbot Street. He told police he was coming from Plymouth and had recently gotten into a crash. Cox smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech, and glassy eyes, according to the report.
Cox was taken into custody after failing multiple field sobriety tests.
He is due back in court on Aug. 4.
Image Credit: WHDH, 7-News
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